A reading by a colleague may uncover problems. Put the
manuscript
aside and read it later (possibly the next day).

2.03 Economy of Expression

Wordiness. Reason and because
often appear in the same sentence; they have the same meaning, and
therefore
they should not be used together (APA, 2001, p. 35).

Redundancy. The italicized words are
redundant
and should be omitted:
They were both alike
a total of 68 participants
absolutely essential
has been previously found
small in size
in close proximity
completely unanimous
just exactly
period of time
summarize briefly
the reason is because

Poor:
INSTRUCTIONS: Fill in each blank using Hiragana so that
the sentence will make sense.

Better (Clear):
INSTRUCTIONS: Using Hiragana, fill in each blank so that
the sentence will make sense.

Incorrect:
These data only provide
a partial answer.

Correct:
These data provide only a partial answer.

That versus which. Use that for
restrictive
clauses.
The animals that performed well in the first experiment were
used in the second experiment (APA, p. 95).

While versus although. Use while
to
link events occurring simultaneously; use although, whereas, and, or
but
in place of while.

Imprecise:
Bragg (1965) found that participants performed well, while Bohr
(1969) found that participants did poorly.

Precise:
Bragg (1965) found that participants performed well, whereas
Bohr (1969) found that participants did poorly.

Imprecise:
While these findings are unusual, they are not unique.

Precise:
Although these findings are unusual, they are not unique.

Since versus because

Imprecise:
Data for 2 participants were incomplete since these participants
did not report for follow-up testing.

Precise:
Data for 2 participants were incomplete because these
participants
did not report for follow-up testing (APA, 2001, p. 57).

Between and and

Incorrect:
between 2.5-4.0 years of age

Correct:
between 2.5 and 4.0 years of age

Both and and

Incorrect:
The names were both difficult to pronounce and spell.

Correct:
The names were both difficult to pronounce and to
spell.
(APA, p. 58)

• When you develop a clear writing style and use correct
grammar,
you show concern not only for accurately presenting your knowledge and
ideas but also for easing the reader's task.

• Avoid words with surplus or unintended meaning (e.g., cop
for
police officer, kid for child), which may distract if not actually
mislead
the reader.

3.06 Quotation Marks

• to introduce a word or phrase used as an ironic comment, as
slang, or as an intended or coined expression. Use quotation
marks
the first time the word or phrase is used; thereafter, do not use
quotation
marks (APA, 2001, p.82).

......the "without-online" students appeared to be alert and to
learn
faster than the "with-online" students. The without-online students
exhibited
qualities such as willing to guess, not being inhibited, willing to
make
mistakes, etc.

3.07 Parentheses

The author stated, "The effect disappeared within minutes" (Lopez,
1993,
p. 311), but she did not say which effect.

• to enclose the citation or page number of a direct quotation
(see APA, 2001, p. 120).

3.08 Brackets.
Do not use brackets if the material can be set off easily with commas
without
confounding meaning.

Unnecessary:
(as Imai [2003] later concluded)

Better:
(as Imai, 2003, later concluded)

Do not use a slash when a phrase would be clearer.
Each child handed the ball to her
mother/guardian.
(APA, p. 88)

Better:
Each child handed the ball to her mother or guardian.

• APA follows Webster's Collegiate in most cases.

3.33 Seriation

Within a paragraph or sentence, identify elements in a series
by lowercase letters (not italicized) in parentheses.

The participant's three choices were (a) working with another
participants,
(b) working with a team, and (c) working alone.

If the elements of a series within a paragraph constitute a compound
sentence and are preceded by a colon, capitalize the first word of the
first item.

The experiments on which we report were designed to address two such
findings: (a) Only a limited class of pattern stimuli, when paired with
color, subsequently contingently elicit aftereffects, and (b)
decreasing
the correlation between grid and color does not degrade the McCollough
effect
(APA, 2001, p. 116).

• If a cell cannot be filled because data were not
obtained
or are not reported, insert a dash-- in that cell.
• If the data are not applicable (N/A), leave the cell
blank.
(APA, 2001, p. 159)

3.71 Ruling of Tables
Typesetting requirements restrict the use of rules (i.e., lines) in a
table. Limit the rules to those that are necessary for clarity, and use
horizontal rather than vertical rules (APA, 2001, p. 173).

EPILOGUE. (1998). An interview: A
brain-functionalist
who deprogrammed Aum's top leaders; A
devastating scenario--mind
control
society. Takarajima, 304, 224-271. Retrieved
January 1,
2009,
from
http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/y.shimazu/epilogueDrT.html

To indicate seriation of separate paragraphs (e.g., itemized
conclusions
or successive steps in a procedure), number each paragraph with an
arabic
numeral, followed by a period but not enclosed in or followed by
parentheses:

Quotation marks and other punctuation. When a
period
or comma occurs with closing quotation marks, place the period or comma
before the quotation marks. Put other punctuation (e.g., colon,
semicolon)
outside quotation marks unless it is part of the quoted material.

At the beginning of each trial, the experimenter said, "This is a
new
trial."

After the experimenter said, "This is a new trial," a new
trial
began.

Did the experimenter forget to say, "This is a new
trial"?
(APA, 2001, p. 293)